Secret Sauce
by cupcakes101
Summary: Gideon makes a potion and uses it on Dipper. When he suddenly goes missing, Mabel must find out what Gideon did to him and make the antidote before the effects become irreversible...but she only has ten days to do so.
1. Prologue

**Mabel's POV**

From **_Day 8_**

I knock on the front door and wait. Calm down Mabel. Take a deep breath. The plan is simple—ask Gideon for the reverse-effects formula and leave. That can't be too hard. Gideon answers the door and beams.

"Well Mabel! What a delight! Please, do come in my sweet!"

I hesitate. Come on Mabel, don't back down now, you can do this! If he asks you on another date: Just. Say. No. I step in. The last time I visited his house—well, actually, he kinda kidnapped me—was when he shrunk me and put me in a jar. He repaid me with Gummy Koalas though, and that was awesome! No, focus Mabel. You need to be as serious as you can possibly be. Dipper needs your help.

"So Mabel, what brings you to my household on this lovely day?"

"I think you know exactly why I'm here Gideon." I snarl. Whoa! I've never sounded that scary in my life! This will be easy.

"Oh, I see…" he frowns, "Sorry, can't do anythin' about it."

"What?! No! I need the cure!"

"Honey, I just told you: I don't have it."

"Liar! Of course you do. How did you make the potion? Give me the recipe! I'll do anything for it, anything to get my brother back!" I want to cry. I want to just strangle Gideon for ruining my life. Why does he hate Dipper so much? He hasn't done anything wrong. If the potion had affected me, then Dipper would've gotten to the bottom of it day 1 and stopped the effects from progressing. I'm not the best in this sort of field, and I only have _two days_ until the effects will be irreversible and he forgets about me, or worse, _hates_ me.

"Ok…but on one condition," Gideon responds, "you start dating me again, and I expect a kiss."

A _kiss_?! He's cray-cray crazy! One obvious answer Mabel: No. But…it's the only way I'll get the recipe. Say no. I may be able to make an opposite of the potion. Don't you dare say yes. But I can't say no, this is my only hope. No! Say NO! I have no choice.

I sigh. "Ok…I guess—"

"Mabel, you have once again made me the happiest boy in the world!" and hugs me. I stiffen up. I hope he isn't lying. But what if he is? I warned you about saying yes. Yeah, but I had to.

"Now, where's my kiss?"

You have to Mabel, or else he'll never give you the recipe. He leans in close. It's not too late to run away. Closer….The door is ten feet away. A hand touches my cheek. He's sick! I'm too young for this. Help! I squirm and try to escape, but his other arm wrapped around my shoulders. We touch noses. I yelp, but he shushes me.

"Give me what I want, and I shall give you what you want."

Welp, I can't back down now. I have to...I inhale deeply. _I'm doing this for you, Dipper_. And his lips touch mine.


	2. Chpt1--Day 1

**Dipper's POV**

_**Day 1**_

Gideon gives me his pathetic, high-pitched evil laugh as he corners me at the park. I should've used good judgment—how could I be so dumb as to believe him when he said Mabel needed me? She's perfectly fine, definitely hanging out with Candy and Grenda. I can't take it back; he's already found my weakness.

"Finally! I've been waitin' long for this moment: the day where my plan shall work and Mabel will be mine!"

Seriously? This again? He's still after her, after all that trouble we've been through. Why can't Gideon just _get over her_? I mean, my sister isn't the only girl in town, and she's certainly not the best. Or maybe he's just desperate because he probably freaked out many girls in the past, and Mabel came to be his only hope. But Mabel is still too naïve, because if she never accepted to go out with him, he wouldn't have pressured her into more dates. If he hadn't done that, then Mabel wouldn't have come home whining. If she didn't do that, then I wouldn't have come between their relationship. But, as you can see, things didn't go my way, which is why I'm the victim of Gideon's grand old plan…whatever it is.

"Behold…_this_!" Gideon holds up…a…what? A perfume bottle? Wow.

"Huh? A _perfume_ bottle? Hehe, oh man, this has got to be your absolute _worst_ plot yet! HahahaHAHAHAHA!"

"DON'T LAUGH! On contact with skin, this potion will turn you into the most _hideous_ creature that you can ever imagine! Mabel wouldn't dare come close to you, bringing her right into my arms!"

I roll my eyes. "How do you know if she'll come to you? You're the last person she wants to see. Man, she broke up with you. She doesn't like you, and she'll _never_ go on another date with you."

"LIES! Your sister will be MINE!" Gideon hurls the bottle at me, hitting square in my shoulder. The glass shatters, splashing pink liquid on my face and shirt. Fragments pierce my skin, leaving cuts all over my right arm. And boy did it hurt!

"OW! Idiot! What were you thinking?!"

"Get ready, Dipper, for the baddest makeover anyone could ever get!"

My arm starts to tingle, and a horrible thought sweeps through my mind: What if he wasn't joking? What if that was a real potion that was capable of turning me into the male version of Medusa? Would Mabel help me?

Seconds pass, then a minute or two. Gideon's anticipated stare turns into mortification.

"What? Why isn't it working?" Gideon pulls a book out of his jacket and searches frantically through it. That book looks very familiar…but I forgot where I've seen it. A sweet scent fills the air, and I sniff my arm.

"Smells good, I guess." Roses, honey, and something like candy. Mabel would have savoured this perfume.

"NO!" Gideon shrieks, "I made the wrong one!"

"Which one did you make?"

"Um…" Gideon skims through the pages. He murmurs things like "mystic amulet" and "blood rain" as he looks. The author of that book must have been a real live wizard or something. I wonder where he got a book like that. He pauses at a page, reads it, and starts giggling.

"Wh-what? What is it?" I ask nervously. That wasn't a very good sign. He closes the book and grins innocently. It makes me want to gag at how cute that smile appears to everyone else. He's still giggling.

"What's so funny? Go on, spill it." He ignores me. The giggling turns into laughter as he turns and skips away.

"Wait! What did you do to me? Tell me!" I hear his laughter echoing off walls down the block. Crud. Whatever he created, it couldn't be pretty for me. Maybe it had already taken effect on me….There's a puddle, I'll look at my reflection.

I approach the puddle slowly, afraid of what I'm about to see. I open my eyes and see a boy with chestnut-brown hair and eyes, a blue hat with a pine tree, and skinny arms. Good, I still look the same. But…something is different. I _feel_ different, as if I'd been through a much more dramatized version of my ordeal with Gideon. I guess I'm just tired because it's getting late— Mabel! She's probably wondering where I am. I should get back home.

I take off running towards the shack. I don't run very fast because I'm drained of my energy. The air rushing past me blows the fragrance of the perfume into my nostrils. I love that scent—but that's the problem. I think the smell is making me sleepy, and I can't resist it. I think about taking off my shirt, but somehow my mind is telling me that I'd be crazy for doing so, even though I'm a boy and it doesn't really matter…nevermind. I try to ignore the smell.

Asphalt turns to dirt, and I find myself standing in front of the Mystery Shack. The lights are off up front. I check my watch: 9:02 p.m. I enter through the back door and strode towards the stairs. I climb them and pull myself up through the trapdoor to the attic. I see Mabel, folding sweaters and skirts and packing them into a small haversack. She notices me and smiles.

"Dipper! Where have you been? Hey, guess what? I'm going to a sleepover at Candy's house. Her mom makes really good short-ribs!"

"Good for you! I was at the park with Gideon all night. He still hates me and I don't know why! Well, actually I do: it's because I messed up your relationship thingy, but I had to and he won't accept that you broke up with him for some weird reason, but he' just strange that way. And he did this to me, as you can see by the blood on my arm, there's blood because he threw an awesome-smelling perfume bottle at me—what a waste of perfectly good perfume!—and it _really_ hurt like someone stabbed me with a million knives, well technically it was because of the glass, and then I felt really weird after smelling the weird perfume Gideon created that he said was suppost to do weird stuff to me, but smell it it smells really good you'll like it!"

Mabel gives me a funny look, like the one that looks confused and horrified at the same time.

"Uhh, Dipper? You okay? You're talking funny, and it's kinda freaking me out."

"What do you mean? I'm talking pretty normal, so I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "talking funny", cause I'm pretty sure that this is the norm for me when it comes to talking unless you want me to change it—why are you looking at me like that?"

Mabel's eye twitches. She gives me a nervous laugh and mutters something to herself. She grabs her haversack and opens the door. "G'night Dipper!" she manages to say, and closes the door. What was that all about? Why'd she freak out? Meh, whatever. I need to wash the blood off my arm.

I change into my and wet a towel. I rub my arm. Ow! Oww…jeez-it's painful! I pick and pinch some glass fragments out and try again. Ouch. I pick out some more. Oweei! OMG, how many stupid pieces did I get stabbed with? A million bajillion fragments later, I'm finally able to wash the wound. It stings though…I hope that goes away.

I jump on my bed and pull the covers over me. I reach for the lamp and turn it off. I stare at the dark ceiling, taking in the hypnotizing scent. I wonder what that great-smelling potion is suppost to do. It's pink, it smells like Mabel's fragrances, and it doesn't change you into monsters. Whatever it does, Gideon finds it funny. It's not a love potion, cause if it was, then I would've fallen in love with the first person I saw, which would be Gideon. Auugh! Gross! It could be a sleeping potion…but why would he laugh at that? I breathe in and collect more of the scent. Pink…and sweet…what does that remind me of? Princesses, I guess…so does it turn people into princesses—wait a minute…oh no…no, it can't be! I can hear my own voice in my head, which means that I'm close to sleep. Please be wrong, just please tell me this isn't the case!

_A girl potion_.


	3. Chpt2--Day 2

**Dipper's POV**

**Day 2**

Light leaks in from cracks on the walls. I push myself up and stretch. Something brushes up against my arms and I look back, only to have my vision blocked by…something. Memories from yesterday fill my mind: Gideon's laughter, Mabel going to a sleepover, the girl potion. Oh man, it wasn't a dream. I feel a soothing warmth on my back and shoulders—maybe from a blanket. My hands feel around for it—there it is! I lift it up and try to throw it off, but it…won't…go! The blanket falls on my face—wait a minute…is that…_hair_? My belly gets butterflies and does a flip. That could only mean…no… I bounce myself off the bed and run up to a mirror.

"AAEEIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIAAAAEIE!" goes my voice; a high and shrilly scream. Instead of my usual boyish features, a short girl with long hair and terrified eyes stares back at me.

No no no no no no no! This cannot be happening! Wait, are those—_breasts_? Aiiek! How do I reverse this? The journal is lying on the dresser. Maybe that has something useful. I grab it and flip the hardcover open to page 1 and continue turning the pages: Floating eyeballs, vampire bats, gnomes, cursed doors, ghosts, zombies, mermaids, secret caves, the Northwest family cover-up, forest crystals, Bigfoot (hmm, that one sounds interesting. Maybe I'll search for that another time), uses for crystal cave water, possible UFO base, a pyramid thing-a-ma-jig. Dang it! Nothing. Auuuugh! I glance up at my reflection. Ohmigosh what am I gonna do? If Mabel sees me…I don't know. I wonder when she'll be back—

"Dipper! I'm baack!"

No no, not now!

"Uh, don't come in yet!" I say in the lowest tone that my girly vocal chords can produce.

"Why? I need to unpack—hey! Unlock the door!"

"Um—I'm naked! Go away."

"Hurrry up my BFFs are here and we want to have a play date here!" Mabel whines.

"Hold on!"

Aack! I dive at Mabel's suitcase and dig though the pile (there's too many sweaters! How did she manage to fit all of them in there?!), blindly fishing out a skirt, shirt, and socks. Her pink light-up Converses are under her bed—I reach for those.

"You done yet?"

"NO!"

My loose, red-orange shirt is replaced with a brown one and my shorts are replaced by a…brown skirt? Oh no! I can't go out wearing two articles of the same color!

"I'm coming in now, in three—"

"No Mabel don't come in don't come i—" Shoot! My hand slaps over my mouth to silence my girl voice. I'm busted. Totally busted.

"D-Dipper? Are you in there?"

The door swings open—my sister and her friends share a shocked expression. I'm frozen in place.

"So _that's_ why he's been acting so weird…" Mabel mutters. My cheeks burn. I expect her to say my name, revealing my new identity, and the horrible laughter that would arouse as a result.

"Dipper…?" she starts, but looks past me and around the room as if I wasn't there.

"Look, Mabel, I can explain—"

"No! I need to talk to Dipper. Where is he?"

Wait, what?

"Um, so you're saying you don't know me?" I ask slowly.

"Yes, I know who you are," my chest tightens at the response, "you're Dipper's _girlfriend_! He thought he could make up a fake story last night to throw me off his tracks, but no one can fool Mabel!"

Okay…well, I guess she doesn't suspect me. But I shouldn't stick around too long.

"Listen, uh, I have to be somewhere—"

"Oh no you don't! I need to get things straight around here. Nobody in this family gets a new girlfriend without me knowing about it!"

Jeez, I've never seen her act this way before. Normally she'd be thrilled at the idea.

"What did you do with Dipper? Where is he hiding?"

"Nowhere—"

"He's in that closet, isn't he?"

"Uhh, no—"

"So you're saying that if I open that door right now—"

"Fine, open it."

She yanks the door open, "AHA! Oh…" empty, of course, "The invisible wizard is at it again…" There was a _thump thump thump_ sound and Grunkle Stan appeared behind her.

"What's all the yelling about up here? Whoa, who are you?"

"She's Dipper's girlfriend—could you believe it? He never told me!"

"What's your name sugar?"

"M-my name?"

Oh crud. C'mon think! Dippina? No no, _way_ too obvious. Errm...I'm going to have to improvise. My eyes scan the room, focusing on Mabel's posters (all boys, shoot!). They roll down to her scattered magazines of celebrities. One photo with a headline pops out at me: The picture of a teen actress from one of Mabel's favorite TV series named Phoebe Tonkin.

"Phoebe! My name is Phoebe. And Dipper left, so if you excuse me—"

"No! You are not excused! He didn't leave because I would have seen him come down the stairs. But since he was too busy changing—"

"Whoa, whoa, you're saying Dipper was _naked_?" Stan jumps in, "you two weren't…having…"

"What?! AW _GROSS_ NO WAY!" I hear Candy and Grenda giggling.

"Whatchya guys talkin' about—having what?" Mabel eyes us suspiciously.

"It's nothing. Don't listen to him."

"Errrgh! Dipper?!"

"Ok ok, He escaped through a trap door under your bed, Mabel."

"Trap door? Really?" She crouches down on her stomach and peers under the bed, then starts sliding forward. Now's my chance for escape. I push past Candy and Grenda, were I hear them whisper behind me, "Look! She's wearing a shirt and skirt of the same color! Hehehe!" Dang it I completely forgot! In the living room I find my dark-blue vest crumpled on the floor. I scoop it up while running and slip it on. That solves my problem.

My leg kicks open the door, startling tourists in the gift shop. I accidentally knock down the post-card stand and bump into a person who was carrying a tall stack of knick-knacks (_Guy: "Hey! You shattered all my crystals!" Me: "It's broken glass, and by the way, those boxes only contain little slips of paper that say 'No Refunds'."_). I burst through the entrance, sprinting down the dirt until I reach the main road. Phew! Now I just need to get to Gideon's place and have him change me back. This will all blow over, don't worry Phoebe—I mean, Dipper. Well, they're both applicable I guess.

I take off running again. The wind blows a familiar fragrance into my nose. How is it still very strong? Ripples of color materialize all around me, like tie-dye. Bird calls and other sounds start fading away, replaced by a faint, constant humming. Fireworks of color explode in my head. What's happening? I am not aware of myself moving anymore. Red, yellow, pink, green, the scent of roses, honey and candy—it's the potion! It's doing weird stuff to me! I pinch my nose, inhaling only through my mouth. The color bursts fade away slowly, and the forest chatter fills my ears: _Tweet tweet tweet tweet Twonk Twonk Twonk BONK BONK BOOONK!_ I shriek and cover my ears. It's too loud! Wait, that wasn't a bird…I spin around and see a building. Am I still running? No, the building is coming towards me—no wait, a truck!

I gasp and try to move, but I'm paralyzed. Hard metal rams my chest, the force of it violently throwing me to the ground. A sickening _Crack_ echoes through my head…and then, nothingness.


	4. Chpt3--Day 2

**Day 2**

_Phoebe lied!_ Mabel thought as she rolled out from under the bed. _But I did find my grappling hook!_ She hit the release button and it shot out, crashing through the wall.

"Whoa Mabel, where did you get that gun?" Candy asked.

Mabel smirked, "It's not a gun; it's a grappling hook. I got it from the gift shop. It's much more funner than the hat Dipper chose!" She retracted the cord. "I kinda forgot about it, and I'm glad I found it. Who knows when I'll need it?" She tossed it onto her bed. "Anyways, the bathroom is a great place for the dressing room, and we can take turns holding the camera."

"But who's gonna be the judge?" Grenda asked in a raspy voice.

From under Dipper's bed, a large pink nose popped out, revealing Waddle's chubby face. Mabel grinned and pulled him out.

"Waddle's is good at observing! He'll make a great judge, won't you baby?" he made a small snorting sound and twitched his nose. Mabel brought him into a tight embrace, "Oooo! You're sho ceoute and chubby, aren't you!"

The girls smiled.

"Well what are we waiting for?" said Grenda.

Mabel threw her arms up in the air, "Nothing!"

Suddenly, the bedroom door burst open and Soos appeared, panting from the long hike up the stairs.

"Dudes. . .I just saw. . .a dead person. . .blood. . .everywhere—it's freaky dude!"

Mabel cocked her head. "Um, are you sure 'bout that?"

Soos nodded. "The cops and ambulance are there with all the flashy lights and stuff. You should come check it out!"

The room was silent for a minute. Then Grenda broke the silence.

"Yeah! I wanna see it!" she exclaimed. Mabel gave both of them an uneasy look. There was nothing pleasing about the situation, and there was no reason for her to get involved.

"You guys go ahead. I'll set up the stage."

"Aww come on Mabel!" it was Candy this time, "Aren't you a bit curious?"

"Yeah girl! It's not every day you see a dead person!"

Exactly! And why the heck they'd ever wanted to see one, Mabel didn't know. This day already had a lot of drama tied into it, and she could really do off with a normal get together with her friends.

"Please Mabel? Please please please?"

Mabel felt her temperature rise a little, but she held it back.

"Guys, this is suppost to be a fun day! Why are you all curiousy about blood and stuff anyway?"

"I've never seen a dead person before." Grenda said, "Plus, it's on my bucket list, see?" she pulled out a long list and pointed at one of the sentences.

Mabel longed for someone to change the subject and throw everyone off of the dead body thing, but everyone looked at her expectantly. If she said no, they would keep begging her until she said yes, so there was only one option.

"Fine. Let's just take a quick peek, then come right back up here, ok?"

* * *

They arrived at the scene, and immediately dots blurred Mabel's vision. Rivers of thick blood flowed slowly across the asphalt. The air reeked of copper and death, with a touch of roses, honey, and candy. She looked beside to see Candy slowly taking steps backwards and Grenda throwing up under a tree, also check-marking the sentence on her list. Mabel looked back and saw the paramedics hoisting a girl into the ambulance. Her blood froze when she recognized her face.

_ Phoebe?! But…how?_ Someone brought a clean rag to replace the blood-soaked one on Phoebe's head. Mabel wanted to close her eyes to prevent herself from seeing the wound, but the rag was already removed. Her hair was caked with dry blood, but to Mabel's surprise, there was no sign of a crack or split anywhere. In fact, Phoebe didn't look like she'd been terribly injured at all! Besides the blood stains and the fact that she was wearing Dipper's vest, everything seemed normal: her skin was full color, her breathing normal, and her skull unscathed.  
_ Strange…_ With the bandage replaced, she got loaded in the ambulance. _How did this happen anyway?_ The ambulance drove away, and that's when she noticed the truck pulled over on the far side of the road. A news crew was parked next to it and she could see a cameraman positioning their camera towards a spot behind the van.

Mabel was curious and wanted a better look. She crawled under the yellow tape and silently crept over towards the van. Footsteps sounded from behind her, so she sped up her pace.

"Hey! What d'you think you're doin sneakin' through the yellow tape?"

Mabel gasped as Sheriff Blubs approached her.

"Is there gonna be a problem here?" Deputy Durland pulled out his nightstick. Sheriff Blubs snatched it from his hand.

"No! We do not use the stick unless it's a raid!" he scolded.

"But we never get to use it…" whined Durland.

Mabel edged forward while they were distracted. As Sheriff Blubs was comforting his partner, she managed to make it close enough to see the reporter and his interviewee: A man with brown hair and a mustache, and Pacifica Northwest by his side. She had seen him somewhere: on Pioneer Day, standing behind Pacifica during her opening speech. Pacifica's dad. Mabel put her hand up against her ear to catch what they were saying:

"…didn't see her until the last minute. I tried to stop but it takes a long time to stop a truck going 50 miles per hour, you know. Heck, she is lucky to have survived!"

"It is truly devastating and we aren't sure if the girl will survive. Do you have anything else to add on, Mr. Northwest?"

Pacifica snatched the microphone from the reporter and smiled at the camera.

"As a generous, non-selfish, and caring family, the Northwests shall pay for every expense of the medical bills—" "YOU THERE!"

Mabel felt a hand grasp on the collar of her sweater and was yanked back so roughly that she choked.

"You have no business snooping around here!" barked Sheriff Blubs.

"Yeah—wait, you look familiar" Durland paused and stared at her for a long time.

"It's the girl who was with that boy who uncovered the secrets of the Northwest family." said Blubs.

"Oh yeah! Candy wrapper girl and city boy! So if there's one of you here…then the other one can't be too far!" Durland pulled out his nightstick again, but Blubs slapped it away.

Mabel thought of Dipper and an uneasy feeling grew in her stomach. She hadn't talked to Dipper since yesterday, and she was worried. He hadn't told her anything about a new girlfriend—normally she is told everything! She felt her temperature rise again.  
_He needs to start spilling the secrets, whether he wants to or not!_ Mabel smiled mischievously.

"Oh yes Deputy Durland, I was actually looking for my brother because he is a naughty boy and likes to sneak out. As the older sibling, I am responsible for my younger twin. Can you guys look around town for him and bring him back for me please?"

Blubs and Durland looked from one to the other.

"Manhunt? I say we do it!" exclaimed Durland.

Mabel grinned. "Thank you guys! You don't know how much it means to me!" She got up and ducked back under the yellow line, closing her eyes to not see the blood.  
_I hope they clean that up soon._ On the way back to the shack, she met up with Candy and Grenda, both stunned with what they just saw.

"I will never be able to unsee that." muttered Candy. Mabel shuddered.

"I know. Say, you want to go back to that fashion show we planned?"

Her friends both shook their heads.

"Sorry Mabel, but we're just not in the mood for that right now. I'm sorry this day didn't turn out as you planned." Candy replied. They had already retrieved their bags.

Mabel sighed, "Ok, well. . .bye guys." She watched them leave. A million thoughts jumbled up in her head. She thought of Dipper again, and butterflies formed in her stomach. What had she done? Dipper probably ran off because Mabel would ruin his relationship with Phoebe. And Mabel had just given him more trouble by sending the cops to find him. She angrily kicked the dirt. This was probably the worst day of her life.

* * *

Mabel headed into the attic and plopped down on the bed. She looked down at the floor and saw something she didn't notice before: Dipper's hat and shoes. They were laying there untouched from last night.  
_ What are those doing here? Dipper never leaves the shack without his hat, and I bet he wears shoes._ Something was definitely wrong.

Then Mabel remembered: they both had phones. She reached for hers in her suitcase and dialed his number. The phone rang a couple times until someone finally picked up.

"Hello? I'm sorry to say, but your friend has been injured and is being taken to the hospital right now. Can you leave a message?"

Mabel stared in confusion at her phone. Her phone displayed Dipper's picture and number, so it was definitely his phone.

"Who are you and where's Dipper?" she asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm afraid you called the wrong number. This phone belongs to Phoebe."

Mabel smacked her head. Phoebe was wearing Dipper's vest, which had his phone in it. How was she suppost to reach him now?

"So, who am I speaking to?" Mabel asked.

"I am a paramedic and I am taking care of Phoebe. We will be taking her to the nearest hospital. She has suffered a serious head injury and we must perform surgery as soon as possible."

Mabel hung up without saying goodbye and threw herself back down on the bed. She took deep breaths to clear her mind and try to figure out the situation. Still, nothing added up to her. But she noticed something else that was too subtle to be able to pick up right away: the smell of roses, honey, and candy seemed to follow her everywhere.

_ That perfume's so strong! Dipper's right, it does smell good!_ An idea popped in Mabel's head. _Maybe if I follow the scent, I could find him! I'm a genius!_ Mabel got up and sprinted for the door, holding her nose up high to track down the smell. The scent lingered in the air and was still strong. Before she reached the gift shop door, the front doorbell rang.

Mabel paused. She suspected Sheriff Blubs and Deputy Durland had found Dipper. When she opened the door, she gasped in surprise.

It was Gideon.


	5. Chpt4--Day 2

**Day 2**

Gideon's eyes widened when he saw Mabel standing at the door. He was expecting to see a different girl; one that looked close to Dipper. He shook off the thought.

"Why hello Mabel! What a delight to see you after all this time."

"_It's only been a few weeks." _Mabel mumbled quietly. "What do you want Gideon?"

"Oh, nothing much. Just wanted to say hi and check up on the family. You know, see how you're doin' and stuff."

"Get lost Gideon! I don't want to be your girlfriend!"

Gideon staggered back, hurt from Mabel's reply. A flashback of the night Mabel broke up with him played in his mind. Then, he felt rage build up inside of him. He was eager to get his revenge.

"Right, right, I know. Where's Dipper? I expected him to answer the door."

"I haven't seen him since he went out with his new girlfriend." Mabel scoffed. "You're gonna have to come back later."

"Girlfriend?" He was angry again. How come Dipper can get a girlfriend and he can't?

"I never knew he had a girlfriend." Gideon lit up, "Is she cute?" he asked hopefully.

She snorted, "Apparently, if it's enough to draw him away from Wendy!"

"What's her name?" he asked.

"Phoebe, but that's all I know."

Gideon knew the names of all the girls in Gravity Falls, but Phoebe wasn't one of them. Maybe she was new in town and barely made an appearance. Or maybe—_Dipper_.  
_Don't draw conclusions yet, _he thought to himself, _Try to get more info first._

"Hey Mabel, how would you describe her appearance?"

Mabel took a few moments to think, then came up with an answer, "Funny thing is, she looks a lot like me, except she's shorter and has straighter hair. Also, Dipper must have given her his vest, because I saw her wearing it. Why d'you want to know?"

He grinned and giggled. He had a hunch that Dipper was that girl and had named himself Phoebe in order to fool Mabel. If he had originally made the slug potion, then Mabel would have surely noticed. This was the perfect way to get to her. But first, he'd have to find a way to meet Phoebe. An idea sprung in his head.

"Say Mabel, would you do me a great big favor?"

Her eyes narrowed. "I dunno. . .depends what it is."

Gideon lowered his head and put on a fake sad expression. "I've been living here for years doing the same routines daily, and sometimes I get lonely," he sniffed and pretended to wipe a tear, "I know how much you care for your twin and you'd do everything that's best for him." He paused and looked up.

Mabel watched him coldly, and Gideon began to feel his act wasn't working. He cleared his throat and continued, "All I'd like. . . is for _you_ to be my marshmallow just one more time, and I'll be a happy boy once again."

Mabel stared in awe, then gave in to a guilty expression.

"Gideon. . ." she trailed of and sighed. Gideon noticed that she toned down a lot from the minute before, which made things much easier for him.

Gideon looked at her longingly. "Now, I know you broke up with me long ago, but I still can't get over it." He clutched the part of his chest where the heart was, "I came here to try again, hoping that you had a change of heart." He lied.

Mabel went silent for what seemed like days to Gideon. He ended his personal monologue with the cute puppy-dog face. All he needed now was for Mabel to react the way he planned.

She looked at him with caring eyes, and spoke softly, "Gideon, I know how much you like me, and you're not an entirely bad person. . ."

Gideon felt himself vibrating with excitement.

". . .but I'm sorry, I won't go on another date with you."

He gasped and took a step back, surprised. Or, at least, _tried_ to look surprised, because he was expecting that answer.

"Please Mabel, I can't think of any other prettier girl than you! You must help me get over all the pain that your broth—I mean, breakup—had caused me!" During that, Gideon's eyes actually watered, which made the conversation a little more convincing. He praised himself inside.

"If only there was another girl that—maybe—looks like you—I hope—, I would gladly take her!"

Mabel stared blankly, probably thinking. Gideon hoped she was thinking what he wanted her to think about. She smiled and snapped her finger.

"Hey! Phoebe would be the perfect! If I can get her to come and meet you, she can be your girlfriend instead of Dipper's!" She smiled broadly, "Then our families won't have any more problems!"

_Except for Stanford._ Gideon thought sourly, though he was shaking with excitement at the same time. He jumped with joy inside for convincing Mabel to introduce him to Phoebe (a.k.a, Dipper Pines).

"That would be the second best thing in the world that's ever happened to me! When should I come back to meet her?"

Mabel looked down uncomfortably. Gideon felt his heart drop. If things went wrong now, he wouldn't know how to get back on track.

"I dunno. . . she's been in a terrible accident and she's in the hospital now. I don't know for how long though!"

Gideon cursed to himself. He wanted to enjoy his revenge on Dipper right away, but it could take weeks if he was in the hospital.

"Well, call me as soon as Dip—I mean, Phoebe—comes back." He forced a smile. Mabel nodded assuredly. Gideon turned and walked away as Mabel said goodbye and closed the door.

Gideon rubbed his hands together and chuckled evilly. Soon he'd be able to carry out part 2 of his revenge and finally get Mabel on his side. But first, he must prepare himself for all the variables, especially the worst one of all: If Phoebe still remembers her true identity.


	6. Chpt6--Day 3

**Day 3**

Phoebe cracked open her eyes and was blinded by a bright light. Everything around her was a blur. Her head felt light and airy and her body was numb. She could hear voices coming from all directions, but they were faint and indistinct. Her first impression was that she was in Heaven, and angels were speaking to her.  
_ Am I dead?_ She wanted to ask them, but she couldn't produce any sort of sound.

"Am I dead?" she croaked. The voices were silenced, and she was sure they heard her. Suddenly, a purple blob rose in front of her.

"We were quite sure of it at first, but the doctors took good care of you." Phoebe could tell that the angel was a girl, and her voice sounded very familiar. She opened her eyes all the way now, and everything started to clear up. She was lying on a bed in a hospital room, and the girl standing in front of her was Pacifica Northwest. Two adults sat in the corner chairs, filling out some paperwork. Pacifica reached her hand out to touch Phoebe's shoulder, but someone slapped it away.

"N'up, don't touch the patient! You get ten minutes to chat, then it's all of you out of here!" the nurse scolded. Pacifica shot a menacing stare at her, then smiled back down at Phoebe.

"We're sorry this had to happen to you sweetie. See, if my dad had delayed moving into our new house 'till the next day," she gestured accusingly towards the man in the chair, "then you would've been spared. But I guess the important thing is that you survived!" she stared at Phoebe quizzically, as if to say, "_Although you're alive, it seems impossible for any normal human being to survive such a thing!_"

The nurse brought out a sphygmomanometer and wrapped the cuff around Phoebe's arm. She winced when the cuff started squeezing her arm as air was pumped into it.

"Your systolic and diastolic pressure ranges are normal, and your breathing is fine. But I don't know how long the doctor would like to keep you here."

"Well according to all the scans and tests we carried out, Phoebe should be able to leave very soon." Everyone in the room turned and saw the doctor standing at the doorway, holding a clipboard clinging to a thick stack of papers.

The nurse looked flabbergasted. "But Dr. Smith, Phoebe just arrived at the emergency room _yesterday_ suffering from a serious head injury. Normally patients like that stay for weeks, or even months!"

"Don't you think I know that, Jenny?" he replied, annoyed. The nurse huffed and crossed her arms. The doctor searched through each sheet of paper attached to the clipboard.

"And as unimaginable as it may seem," the doctor too was astonished, "when we scanned her for any cracks or blood clots in the head, we couldn't find anything critical!"

Everyone in the room focused their wide eyed attention on Phoebe. She felt a headache coming up.

"But doctor. . ." Phoebe ran her hand all around her head, and she didn't feel any bumps. ". . .I could've sworn that I felt something crack open on impact. . ." Phoebe studied the hand only to find dried blood.

Dr. Smith nodded. "Yes, your skull did crack; there were small markings to prove so. But somehow, it healed itself quickly."

Phoebe rested her head back down on the pillow. She tried to recollect the events that happened the day before. She remembered the truck's blaring horn, all the colors that appeared out of nowhere, and the smell of roses, honey, and candy.  
_ The potion!_ Gideon said it would turn her into a monster, but nothing had happened. Or so she thought. Phoebe focused hard on that memory, trying to find more clues as to what happened afterwards, but all it did was increase the pain in her head.

"Phoebe, you need to relax." The nurse squeezed her hand. "It's the only way you'll recover." Jenny turned and started ushering Phoebe's visitors out the door, "Your ten minutes are up! Come back tomorrow to pick up the patient."

Pacifica lagged behind. While the nurse was busy collecting the paperwork from her dad, Pacifica placed something on the small table next to Phoebe.

"Here's a get well card. It has my new house address on it. I can tell that you're not from around here, so you're welcome to stay with me if you'd like."

The nurse caught Pacifica standing at the corner and pointed an impatient finger out the door. She rolled her eyes and headed for the exit. Before Jenny closed the door, Pacifica popped her head back in.

"By the way, nice perfume!"

Dr. Smith set the clipboard down on one of the chairs and turned to Phoebe. "Nurse Jenny is right. Get in as much sleep as you can so we can release you sooner." He stood by the doorway and held open the door. "I have never seen this sort of phenomenon happen before. You are quite lucky to be alive. You must have a very protective guardian angel." Dr. Smith closed the door softly.

Phoebe pulled the sheets up and slid lower in her bed. She replayed the doctor's words in her head.  
_Maybe so, or maybe it had something to do with the potion. . ._  
She let the smell of roses, honey, and candy put her to sleep.


End file.
